


quest

by oldtune



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, Undertale Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 07:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17137571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldtune/pseuds/oldtune
Summary: you're holding too many dogs.





	quest

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rosered961](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosered961/gifts).



* * *

.

Things are strange today. Very strange.

Papyrus watches water spill from a third-floor balcony in silence. He doesn’t think his browbones can go up any higher but as the water shimmers like a sheet of glass and the sunlight draws out depths of color that has the surrounding crowd spellbound, he can feel them tick up just a little bit more. Small colorful fish bounce in and out of the mini-waterfall, splashing with merry abandon. Beside him, a small white dog wags his tail so quickly it looks like a white blur. The delight rolls off him in waves.

“AND I SUPPOSE YOU’RE VERY PLEASED WITH YOURSELF, AREN’T YOU?” sighs Papyrus.

Annoying Dog barks. Pleased with himself indeed.

“ALRIGHT,” says Papyrus. “LET’S DO THIS THING.”

Annoying Dog bounces forward and is snatched back within seconds. He wriggles fruitlessly in Papyrus’s arms to no avail, before looking up at him with a truly crushed expression. Papyrus looks back. Annoying Dog gives him a pleading, heartfelt whine to which Papyrus raises his browbones a little bit more to convey his not only his Unamusement but also his Strength of Will. He is not caving to cuteness, not on this day.

“OH, ABSOLUTELY NOT. WE ARE CALLING THE AUTHORITIES,” says Papyrus, with authority. “THEY WILL DEAL WITH THIS PROPERLY.”

Annoying Dog’s return bark conveys that the authorities will be very boring about the whole deal.

“YES WELL, THAT’S THE POINT. EXCITEMENT LATER. PROBLEM SOLVING NOW.”

The authorities are called. The responding magi give him despairing looks even as one of them casts a removal spell for what is probably the seventh time. Some of them are wearing armor. One has a strangely bubbling concoction in a mason jar and is chugging it.

“This is our thirtieth call,” they say to Papyrus.

“THAT’S NOT TOO TERRIBLE, IS IT?” he replies. “I USUALLY GET SOMEWHERE FROM TEN TO TWENTY ON A FAST DAY.”

“Thirtieth call in the last five minutes,” they say. They wave the mason jar in the direction of one mage who is pouring something borderline illegal and entirely ill-advised into his coffee and attempting to redirect the waterfall away from the street in the same breath.

“It’s barely ten in the morning,” they continue. “Usually, I don’t have the energy to be alive at this time but we’ve been getting calls since yesterday.”

Papyrus winces and pats their shoulder in consolation.

“MY CONDOLENCES,” he says and then straightens his shoulders. “HOPEFULLY THIS WILL ALL BE OVER AND DONE WITH SOONER THAN YOU THINK.”

Annoying Dog barks in agreement and barely repressed glee. Papyrus gives him a disapproving look. He barks again, this time with well-repressed glee. The mage raises their glass of…stuff in sluggish response and drags themself off to help the others. The mini-waterfall is now floating straight in the air like a small path made of blue glass. The fish can be seen swimming through it and several rainbows loop through the water like arches. The crowd is enthralled. The magi not so much.

Papyrus lingers only long enough to snap a picture before he sets off with purpose. It looks like he has a lot to do today!

From the comfortable circle of his arms, Annoying Dog vibrates, chin propped against his shoulder and tail thumping.

They make it to the doorway in record time even with the amount of dodging Papyrus does. Colors pop faintly at the corners of his eyes as he attempts to forget seeing straight through what might have been a pocket dimension. Annoying Dog wriggles out of his arms and pads his way towards the doorway.

This time the door itself is a gleaming gold, heavy and engraved with markings that fade in and out of Papyrus’s vision.

Annoying Dog barks.

“YES, I KNOW!” says Papyrus, pushing against it. The hinges move slowly and there is a deep, bellowing groan as it opens. “DON’T LOOK TOO CLOSELY AT THE DOORWAYS, YOU’VE SAID THAT BEFORE!”

The doorway shuts on its own behind them with a heavy bang but Papyrus pays it no mind, already scoping out the dimly lit pathway ahead. Flickering torches line the way and as he pulls one out of the wall and holds it forward to light his path, the sound of embers cracking and popping a comfort, he continues to speak.

“I ALMOST HAD IT THIS TIME!” he says. “HALF THE WORDS WERE READABLE!”

Annoying Dog’s bark sounds impressed.

“RIGHT?” says Papyrus, keeping a close eyesocket on his fluffy companion. “GASTER’S NOTES WERE GOOD FOR SOMETHING AT LEAST!”

Annoying Dog bounces excitedly on his paws and lets loose a volley of barks. Papyrus puffs his chest up in pride and his cheekbones glow a soft orange.

“NYEH-HEH-HEH! THANK YOU FRIEND, THAT’S VERY KIND OF YOU TO SAY!”

The path ahead comes to abrupt stop. This time it’s Papyrus that all but vibrates with barely repressed glee. Annoying Dog sits back on his haunches and watches him tackle the puzzle with a joy so vibrant and an energy so electric it crackles off him in waves. Saving the world from being swallowed by absolute chaos is all very well and good but this. Seeing Papyrus so absolutely delighted is a wonder all on its own.

The puzzle clicks and a new path opens. Annoying Dog watches his friend dodge a flaming spear and take notes on the firing mechanism. Papyrus waves him forward after he’s done, nearly glowing. His smile is bright and genuine.

“WELL!” he says. “THAT WAS EXCELLENT!”

Annoying Dog barks his agreement. It truly was!

Several more puzzles pass in this manner as they continue to explore. They walk past large open halls overgrown with vines and lit only by old, glowing orbs that float on their own. They pass by rooms filled with flowers, the air heady with the scent of sweet perfume and the petals soft and waxy to the touch. The torch gutters out at some point, unable to stay lit but by then they don’t need it anymore.

They’ve reached the last room, tired and a little run down but still happy. Annoying Dog trots up the steps to the throne, where a pillow sits neatly in the middle. Beside it is a round orb, the Artifact. He attempts to pick it up but can’t.

He’s holding too many dogs.

Papyrus on the other hand, has his hands completely free. He holds the Artifact up with careful hands and places it square on the pillow where it sits neatly. Immediately, things settle down. The wild buzzing of his magic relaxes into a low hum. The world sets itself to rights again. Annoying Dog pats the Artifact fondly with a paw and hops down.

It’s time to go home.

Papyrus picks him and walks past the throne where the doorway awaits. This time it’s plain wood, with familiar nicks and a little sign in the middle. ‘Papyrus Allowed,’ it reads. And tacked on underneath, a signed paw and the words ‘Annoying Dog Allowed Sometimes.’

“HOME SWEET HOME,” says Papyrus and swings the door open.

It closes behind them with a soft and final click.


End file.
